Today we’d like to introduce you to Lori Warren.
Hi Lori, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My Journey
My journey in healthcare began more than 30 years ago as a registered nurse, working in multiple intensive care units. Those years shaped who I am — teaching me clinical excellence, resilience under pressure, and most importantly, the value of truly seeing the person behind the diagnosis.
One of the most defining influences in my life was my best friend, Bea. She believed in me before I fully believed in myself and encouraged me to return to school. Together, we navigated graduate school while working full time. During this season, I was also raising four daughters — a challenging, exhausting, and deeply meaningful time in my life. In 2011, I proudly completed the Family Nurse Practitioner program at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.
During our time in school, Bea was diagnosed with colon cancer. We fought that battle together — as friends, colleagues, and nurses. Even through her recurrence, we were blessed to work side by side for many years. Eventually, cancer took her life, but not before we shared a dream: opening our own nurse practitioner–led practice. At the time, that dream was not yet possible under Florida law.
Later, Kim joined the practice as a new nurse practitioner. She could never replace Bea, but she earned her own place in my heart. Together, we continued growing, learning, and imagining what healthcare could look like when led by compassion, listening, and autonomy.
Florida granted legal authority for autonomous nurse practitioner practice beginning July 1, 2020, with final rules in place by October 2021. Unfortunately, this coincided with the height of the COVID-19 pandemic — a time that complicated everything in healthcare. Still, I continued working for more than twelve years in primary care, collaborating with a local physician while quietly preparing for the future.
Eventually, Kim and I began dreaming again — investigating, planning, and believing it was finally time. We envisioned a primary care practice solely owned and operated by nurse practitioners. A place where people are listened to. Where patients are treated as individuals, not as diseases. Where everyone is heard, valued, and represented.
In February of 2024, we opened the doors to Hand in Hand Healthcare.
Initially, I continued working part-time at a clinic in Palm Bay. In October of 2024, I gave my 90-day notice and transitioned to working full time at our practice — a moment that felt like both a beginning and a culmination of decades of work.
One week before leaving my previous position, I felt a lump in my left breast.
In November of 2024, I was diagnosed with invasive lobular carcinoma. A PET scan raised concerns, and on December 17, 2024 — the very day I was scheduled to begin my first chemotherapy treatment — I was told I had Stage IV breast cancer. At that moment, chemotherapy was no longer considered an option. I was told I would pursue alternative treatments and live with cancer for the rest of my life.
I sought a second opinion.
A bone scan and bone biopsy showed no evidence of metastatic disease. There was no abnormality to be found. That moment changed everything. Treatment was back on the table — this time with a goal of cure.
Since then, I have completed ACT chemotherapy, undergone a bilateral mastectomy, and finished radiation therapy. My final treatment was on December 23, 2025.
Through it all — diagnosis, uncertainty, treatment, and recovery — Hand in Hand Healthcare has continued to serve our community. We remain committed to the vision that started it all: compassionate, patient-centered care delivered with dignity, autonomy, and heart.
This journey has taught me that dreams delayed are not dreams denied. That adversity can refine purpose. And that when healthcare is practiced hand in hand — with patients, colleagues, and community — healing happens in more ways than one.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Obstacles and Challenges
Opening an autonomous, nurse practitioner–owned primary care practice in Brevard County has been both deeply rewarding and uniquely challenging. Beyond the very personal and significant health challenges I faced during this time, we encountered multiple systemic and structural barriers that required persistence, advocacy, and resilience.
As one of the first practices in Brevard County solely owned and operated by Autonomous Nurse Practitioners, we faced considerable difficulty with insurance credentialing and payer recognition. Many insurance companies were unfamiliar with autonomous nurse practitioner practices despite clear statutory authority under Florida law. This resulted in prolonged credentialing timelines, repeated denials, inconsistent communication, and the need for ongoing education of payers regarding the legal scope and legitimacy of autonomous NP–led primary care.
Even after approval, we have continued to encounter barriers related to reimbursement parity, provider enrollment limitations, and administrative resistance rooted in outdated models of physician-only ownership. These challenges have required us not only to advocate for our own practice, but also to serve as advocates for autonomous nurse practitioners across Florida who are legally authorized to provide comprehensive primary care.
Additionally, building trust within a healthcare landscape accustomed to traditional structures required consistent community education, transparency, and demonstrated outcomes. We have worked diligently to show that autonomous nurse practitioner–led care is safe, effective, patient-centered, and fully aligned with Florida law.
Despite these obstacles, we remain committed to our mission. Each challenge has strengthened our resolve to lead by example, to educate insurers and stakeholders, and to help pave the way for future autonomous nurse practitioner practices in Brevard County and beyond.
Our experience underscores that while legal authority is essential, true progress requires continued advocacy, collaboration, and courage to challenge long-standing systems — even in the face of personal adversity.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
What I’m Most Proud Of & What Sets Us Apart
What I am most proud of — both personally and professionally — is our ability to love people exactly where they are. At Hand in Hand Healthcare, kindness and compassion are not add-ons; they are the foundation of everything we do. We believe that healing begins when people feel seen, heard, and respected, and we intentionally create a space where patients are treated as whole individuals, not as diagnoses or chart numbers.
Our practice is built on excellent clinical judgment and strong diagnostic skills, refined through decades of experience in critical care and primary care. With more than 20 years as a registered nurse in high-acuity ICU settings and over a decade as a family nurse practitioner, I bring depth, precision, and calm decision-making to every patient encounter. This experience allows us to recognize subtle changes, ask the right questions, and provide thoughtful, evidence-based care tailored to each person.
What truly sets us apart is that our care is deeply human. We understand life’s complexities because we live them ourselves. I am the proud mother of six daughters, a role that has shaped my empathy, patience, and advocacy more than any title ever could. Our family continues to grow and bring joy: we are blessed with one grandson, two granddaughters, with our youngest granddaughter born in December 2025, and another precious grandchild expected in February 2026.
Behind me stands my husband, Eric, whose unwavering support, encouragement, and belief in this mission have made everything possible. Our family values are woven into the fabric of our practice — fostering an environment rooted in trust, respect, and genuine care.
At Hand in Hand Healthcare, we don’t rush relationships. We listen. We partner. We walk alongside our patients through health, illness, and everything in between. That commitment — to compassion, excellence, and community — is what I am most proud of, and it is what truly sets us apart.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
With Gratitude
This journey has never been mine alone. Hand in Hand Healthcare exists because of the unwavering support, dedication, and belief of so many people who have walked beside me over the years.
First and foremost, I give credit to my family — my children, grandchildren, my mother, and my husband, Eric — whose love, patience, and encouragement sustained me through long nights, difficult seasons, and moments of uncertainty. Your belief in me has been my greatest strength.
I am deeply grateful to the extraordinary nurses and healthcare professionals I had the privilege to work alongside during more than 20 years in hospital and ICU settings. and fourteen years in Primary Care. You shaped my clinical skills, sharpened my judgment, and modeled teamwork, integrity, and excellence under pressure. The lessons learned at the bedside continue to guide how I practice medicine today.
I also extend sincere appreciation to the Florida Legislature, for recognizing the public’s growing need for accessible, high-quality primary care and for beginning to make meaningful changes that allow nurse practitioners to practice autonomously. These changes are opening doors not only for providers, but for patients who deserve timely, compassionate care.
To my fellow Nurse Practitioners, thank you for delivering exceptional care every day and for holding this profession to the highest standards. Your dedication, advocacy, and professionalism elevate healthcare and inspire continued progress.
We are fortunate to collaborate with an incredible network of healthcare professionals, including specialists, occupational and physical therapists, imaging centers, home health providers, and many others. Your partnership allows us to deliver truly comprehensive, patient-centered care.
Our practice would not function without the outstanding individuals who support our day-to-day operations:
Jeanette, our dedicated biller, whose expertise and persistence keep us moving forward
Tony, our IT guru, whose knowledge and problem-solving skills keep everything running behind the scenes
Korina, our secretary, who is often the first warm voice our patients hear
Shuana, our medical assistant, whose compassion and professionalism touch every patient encounter
And finally, my deepest gratitude goes to Kim McDaniel — my business partner, trusted colleague, dear friend, and fellow daughter in Christ. Your strength, faith, integrity, and unwavering commitment to our mission have made Hand in Hand Healthcare what it is today. I am honored to walk this journey hand in hand with you.
Hand in Hand Healthcare is truly the result of collective effort — built on trust, collaboration, advocacy, and love for our community. To each person who has contributed, supported, and believed in this vision: thank you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.handinhandhealthcare.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/handinhandhealthcare/
